"You know it's late," Erica added, "Sleep dreams, Am."
Am smiled and closed her eye. Erica left after Am fell asleep. She curled up in the blankets and thought about sweet thoughts. All her dreams began, right at the moment she was asleep.
Mya, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. She tried to pur, but couldn't. She got up and went in the hallway. It was quiet, but there was Linda, watching every movement she makes.
"Kind of late huh?" sha asked.
That startled Mya and jumped hight with a cat yowl.
"You scared me," she wailed.
"Sorry," Linda replied, "You should be sleeping at this time."
"I can't sleep," Mya wailed.
"Can't sleep?" Linda echoed, "You sure? Erica slept all day. Don't tell me you'll wine up with bloodshot eyes too."
Mya was horrified by Linda's words. Her cat ears folded back.
"It's what will happen," Linda added, "I'm not saying this to scare you."
Mya got on her hands and knees and crouched down, trembling. Her cat ears are still folded back.
"Linda, you're scaring her!" Angela added.
"Wha- Angela, I was trying to tell her what would happen," Linda replied, "Get back to bed now."
Angela gave Linda an uneasy look.
"I would of been sleeping just ten minutes ago," she added, "Look at the poor thing."
"Good point," Linda muddered, "Angela, why don't you take Mya back in her room?"
Angela nodded and took Mya with her.
The next morning, Erica woke up refreached and ready. Only four more weeks to get ready to battle Fuyuki. Erica's eyes weren't red anymore. She heard mumbling coming from Mya's room.
'I hope Mya didn't end up with bloodshot eyes like I did,' Erica thought.
Mya tost and turned. Erica noticed her.
"Mya, time to get up," she called.
"Oh, hi, Erica," Mya wailed, unable to look at her older sister, "How are you this morning?"
"I'm doing much better now," Erica answered.
"Better luck than me..." Mya mumbled.
"Better- Wait a minute. Mya, didn't you sleep well?"
"No, I didn't."
Mya looked at her.
"Ah! Mya! Your eyes are bloodshot!" Erica yelped with a jump.
Mya folded her cat ears back.
"I knew this would happen..." Mya cried, "Linda was right about it..."
"You need sleep, Mya!" Erica added.
"Ugh... Forget sleep!" Mya hissed, "I'm going to get some training done."
"No! Not in this condiction!" Erica snapped, "I didn't want to do this..."
Erica used some sleeping powder from a blue bag. That got Mya to sleep.
"Erica, what's going on?"
It was Am's voice. Erica spun around.
"Mya's still asleep? I'll wake her up."
"Am, no!"
Erica yanked Am's Pichu tail.
"YEOW! What's the big idea, Erica?"
"Mya's eyes are bloodshot and she is sleeping at the moment."
Am's jaw opened as she gasped. Erica closed her sister's jaw.
"Get a hold of yourself!" Erica added, "Do you want to wake the others?"
Am shook her head. Erica was releaved.
They wanted to train a little in the training fields. Erica got on top of Am. Got a little annoyed, Am was pinned down, swrarming to get free. Erica kept her still.
"Oh, Erica, you're heavy!" Am scowled, "That's not funny!"
Erica laughed anyway. Am didn't want to shock her again. She tried to struggle as hard as she could.
That evening, Mya was fully recovered. Am and Erica heard soft noices. Mya was crying. Am and Erica found her in a small medow in the middle of the forest. Am guessed she wasn't ready.
"Mya, don't take-"
Erica knudged her.
"Am, she doesn't know about it yet," she mumbled.
Am nodded.
"Mya, don't worry," Erica said sweetly and motherly, "Everything will be all right."
Mya didn't look as her tears flow down her face.
"Mya, cheer up," added Am.
Mya was still crying. Her tears continue to roll down her cheeks. Erica hugged her, and Mya calmed down.
Later, back at the Shadow Hunters' hold, Otto got Timmy training.
"Very good," Otto said, "Keep him still, Timmy. Gar, don't forget to use your legs to push him off."
Gar learned how to get Timmy off him.
"Wow, I could of done that move," added Tommy.
"It's the only move to learn," Gar teased.
Tommy helped his brother up to his feet.
"If I were like you," Timmy replied, "I could of pushed you off."
"Oh, hold your tougn," Otto added.
Am heard crying. It was coming from Erica's room.
"Erica, what's wrong?" Am asked.
Erica remained scilent in quiet sobs.
"Oh, come on," Am wailed motherly, "Talk to me."
Erica looked sadly at Am. Her green eyes were filled with tears.
"Am, can you stay in here with me?" Erica sobbed.
A chill ran down Am's spine as she heard her older sister.
"Uh, sure. Sure thing," she answered, "I'm not leaving. I came to comfort you."
"Thank you, Am..." Erica wailed.
Am cuddled close to her as she felt Erica's tears touched her cheek. She must be upset about something. Am heard Erica's heartbeat, sounded uneasy.
'Hope che cheers up soon,' Am thought.
Am padded Erica on her back to comfort her. The sound of her breathing made Am tired. She fell asleep as Erica fell asleep as well. She felt a soft kiss on her cheek.
'I think I might have something in commen with my sister," Am thought.
Mya didn't wake up when Angela looked at her. Her eyes were healed and got startled.
"Wha- what in Starsky's name just happened?" she added.
"You've been sleeping for twenty minutes," Angela answered.
"What I remember is Erica threw sleeping powder in my eyes," Mya wailed.
"What? Why would she do that?" angela yelped.
"She freaked out when she saw my eyes," Mya answered.
"Uh, I think she wanted you to sleep," Angela added, "Your eyes aren't red anymore, that's for sure..."
Mya rubbed her eyes as she sat up. She wondered if she was fit to go outside again. Angela was smiling at her sweetly. Must be something good.
"Cleo said she was decent to talk to you," Angela replied, "I've been impressed."
This confused Mya a little.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"she does seem nice to you."
That hit Mya like a book. She did help Cleo get well when Edward attacked her. It must be good news for her. Mya jumped off her bed and took in some freash air. She wanted to get some training done, she she And Angela took off out the door. Linda saw Mya bright-eyed and awake.
"Hey, where are you off to?" she called, "Erica is having a tough time, I see."
"Huh? What's with her?" Mya asked.
"Well, I might say that you need to stay in," Linda replied, "I heard Erica crying just ten minutes ago."
"Crying?" Mya wailed, "That's not like her at all. I thought big girls don't cry. The only crying I heard was from Am several days ago."
"It's been a month," Linda retorded, "but this is different."
Mya was still puzzled. Why was her older sister crying? She was troubled by the way Linda was putting it. Angela followed her as she headed out the door.
"Hey, Mya!"
It was Abby.
"Huh, what now?" Angela added.
"We might try harder..."
Am found herself crying a little, but cheered up. She felt warm and needed a cool breeze. She found Erica on top of her. She didn't say anything about it. She stretched her arm to get some heat off it.
'How long have I beel sleeping?' she thought.
She heard her stomach growl. That woke Erica.
'Zip it, stomach!' Am thought angerly.
"Uh, Am, you hungry?" Erica added with a yawn.
She heard her stomach growl too. Am giggled. Both of them got up on their feet. Am dashed in the dinning room, followed by Erica. They must of slept through lunch.
Linda found Mya and walked her back inside the appartment. Dinner was no problem. Mya didn't think Erica might cry. Am said she was. Mya shook her head, trying to get rid of those thoughts. She had to eat, and not worry about it. For the others, no worries. Mya darted out as she was finished.
"Mya, hold on!" Erica called, "Were you worried?"
Mya folded her cat ears.
"You seemed something is troubling you," Erica added, "Tell me."
Mya couldn't resist Erica's soft tone.
"Ohh, I can't take it! You're too smart for me!" Mya wailed, "Linda said you were crying. Is this true?"
Erica nodded, unable to speak.
"Oh, Mya," Erica replied with releaf, "You know I might sometimes. You came to comfort Am when she was upset right?"
Mya nodded.
"Even I might have tough times," Erica continued, "I went through everything I can to raise you when you were only a baby. Am and I escaped-"
Erica paused as a tear rolled down her cheek. Mya's eyes widen, how deep they were...
"We escaped from the fire," Erica added, "There are times when it's okay to cry."
Mya understood every word Erica said. she felt something in her heart that was something she remembered. She looked a Am.
"Is it true?" she asked.
Am nodded.
"Well, I guess I have nothing to worry about now."
After dinner, in her room again, Mya lyed down on her bed, thinking about what Erica said to her. She fell asleep and found a stary medow.
'It's a dream,' Mya thought.
It was a dream. There stood a women with persan details.
"Mya," she added.
"How do you know my name?" Mya wailed.
"It's okay, it's me, your mother."
Mya couldn't believe her eyes. She is seeing her mom in her dreams.
"Look how much you have grown," her mom added.
Mya did settle down. A pur rumbled in her throat.
When Mya woke up, it was still dark. She had to find Am. She didn't leave her bed. Am came in to check on her.
"Mya, what I've been through was tough too," she called.
"Am,"
"Yeah, Mya?"
"Had Mama visited you?"
"Once. It didn't startle me as much as it did to you. I have told you about the star mew mews, right?"
Mya nodded.
"Mama is one of them," Am continued, "Erica missed her, that's why she was crying."
Mya sighed in releaf.
"So there's no need to fuss over our older sister," Am added, "She can help us, and she's not defenceless."
Mya felt her heart ache. She wondered if she might tell Am about the dream, but couldn't.
"I'm going back to bed," Am said sweetly, "get some sleep now."
"Okay," Mya wailed.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep. She might see her mom again if she wishes to.
"Gar, can you do anythine else besides gathering news?" Tommy asked.
"It was a duty," Gar answered, "I had nothing else to do. Otto is on guard duty again."
Gar had it coming. He didn't bother with anyone ten minutes later. He lyed down, trying to relax. He start to wonder if he might sneak out. He didn't tonight.
"Gar, you seem worried," Otto added.
Gar tried to face his brother.
"Everyone thinks I'm a stool pidgon!" Gar cried.
"No, I think you are taking yourself too hard," Otto said calmly.
Gar was upset.
"Tommy and Timmy are taking it hard on me!" he wailed.
"They're just doing their job," Otto resaured, "like I do. I see your room is spotless."
Gar didn't listen. He was too upset. Otto had his hand on Gar's shoulder to comfort him.
"I think I better get back to work," Otto saod, "See you later when you're calm."
Gar was alone again. He cheered up a little, but fell asleep for the night to end. He needed a long rest. When he woke up, he found Andrew reading. When he got to him, he needed a talk.
"how come you're not doing reports?" Andrew asked.
"I have better plans," Gar answered.